Reconstructing political realism the long march to scientific theory

Tellis, Ashley J.

doi:10.1080/09636419508429263

Cited by 62 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Kuhn's concept of a paradigm as well as other concepts borrowed from the philosophy and history of science, such as Lakatos's (1970) conception of a "scientific research programme," have not only been used to provide grounds for defining distinct "schools of thought," but also to evaluate the overall evolution of the field as well as specific approaches in the field (Elman and Elman, 2003;Ferguson and Mansbach, 1993;Guzzini, 1998;Keohane, 1983;Lijphart, 1974aLijphart, , 1974bSmith, 1987;Tellis, 1996;Vasquez, 1998). Arend Lijphart, for example, has argued that "the development of international relations since the Second World War fits Kuhn's description of scientific revolutions" (1974a: 12).…”

Section: Presentismmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the History and Historiography of International Relations

Schmidt¹

2013

Handbook of International Relations

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Section: Presentismmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the History and Historiography of International Relations

Schmidt¹

2013

Handbook of International Relations

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“…This rift is striking. For roughly 2,500 years, realists had based their respective international-political theories upon some conception of human nature, when the post-classicals arrived on the politico-theoretical scene in the 1950s to free realism from the tutelage of human nature (Tellis, 1996). Herz was among the first to question human nature-driven Morgenthauian/Niebuhrian realism.…”

Section: Realism and The (Strange) Death Of Human Naturementioning

confidence: 99%

Classical realism, Freud and human nature in international relations

Schuett

2010

History of the Human Sciences

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Classical realism is enjoying a renaissance in the study of international relations. It is well known that the analytical and normative international-political thought of early 20th-century classical realists is based on assumptions about human nature. Yet current knowledge of these assumptions remains limited. This article therefore revisits and examines the nature and intellectual roots of the human nature assumptions of three truly consequential classical realists. The analysis shows — similar to the causa Hans J. Morgenthau — that the human nature assumptions of George F. Kennan, Walter Lippmann and E. H. Carr are — to varying degrees — Freudian. Unless this hitherto neglected dimension is recognized, an understanding of their international-political thought and of the political philosophy of realism remains incomplete. Two conclusions are presented. First, current criticism of classical realism’s human nature assumptions is unjustified. Second, any (re-) engagement with classical realism must recognize its human nature baggage. Realist international-political theorizing is necessarily human nature-based international-political theorizing.

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“…From offensive realism we may deduce hypotheses about when specific states are likely to balance, buck-pass or wage hegemonic war. This is a major advance compared to Waltz's version, from which we can only generate extremely general hypotheses about international outcomes that are difficult, if not impossible to test empirically (Tellis 1996;Schweller 1998;Wivel 2000).…”

Section: Is Offensive Realism At a Dead End?mentioning

confidence: 99%

John J. Mearsheimer: an offensive realist between geopolitics and power

Toft

2005

J Int Relat Dev

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With a number of controversial publications behind him and not least his book, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, John J. Mearsheimer has firmly established himself as one of the leading contributors to the realist tradition in the study of international relations since Kenneth Waltz's Theory of International Politics. Mearsheimer's main innovation is his theory of 'offensive realism' that seeks to re-formulate Kenneth Waltz's structural realist theory to explain from a structural point of departure the sheer amount of international aggression, which may be hard to reconcile with Waltz's more defensive realism. In this article, I focus on whether Mearsheimer succeeds in this endeavour. I argue that, despite certain weaknesses, Mearsheimer's theoretical and empirical work represents an important addition to Waltz's theory. Mearsheimer's work is remarkably clear and consistent and provides compelling answers to why, tragically, aggressive state strategies are a rational answer to life in the international system. Furthermore, Mearsheimer makes important additions to structural alliance theory and offers new important insights into the role of power and geography in world politics.

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Reconstructing political realism the long march to scientific theory

Cited by 62 publications

References 30 publications

On the History and Historiography of International Relations

On the History and Historiography of International Relations

Classical realism, Freud and human nature in international relations

John J. Mearsheimer: an offensive realist between geopolitics and power

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